Last month, JPMorgan gave the world a better idea of who might succeed Jamie Dimon as CEO. And Dimon just gave a better idea of what he might do once that successor takes the job.
Dimon, who has led JPMorgan since 2006, said that in addition to doing business “with people I like,” he’ll probably write a book about management or the financial crisis. Known as one of Wall Street’s more outspoken CEOs, Dimon said he might take on public-facing roles, though he kept the details sparse.
“I may teach somewhere, because I like teaching, and I might do something around a media-related thing,” he told Axios in an interview that aired on Saturday.
Many have speculated that Dimon might have his eyes set on the White House, but he said there’s “pretty much no chance” he would run for office.
“I’m very hard-pressed to think I should be doing something like that,” he said with a light laugh, adding that he’s never been a part of a campaign. “I’m a banker. I’m a New Yorker. I’m 70 years old. I’ve had a couple of health problems.”
Dimon underwent emergency heart surgery in 2020 and battled throat cancer in 2014.
He added that politicians and their families face tremendous public scrutiny, and, besides, he could have a significant impact from his current position. Dimon has recently spearheaded geopolitical projects at JPMorgan, like a $1.5 trillion effort to boost US dominance and security, and a sweeping “American Dream Initiative.”
That doesn’t mean Dimon and his colleagues won’t also weigh in on political issues in the more traditional sense — JPMorgan launched a series called “From the desk of” in May, where senior leaders share their opinions on public policy.
Though it’s hard for some to imagine the end of the Dimon era at JPMorgan, a new leader may step up in the next few years. When asked whether he’ll still be CEO in three years, Dimon said he didn’t know, repeating his common refrain that it’s up to the board and that he plans to stay on as executive chairman. In the past, he’s been known for saying he’ll be in the job at least five more years.
Troy Rohrbaugh and Doug Petno recently emerged as the frontrunners to succeed Dimon after becoming co-presidents of JPMorgan in June.
